Kirby Dach 2.0: Names the Canadiens Could Look at this Off-Season

Last off-season, the Montreal Canadiens made headway at the draft when they traded for Kirby Dach, a move that has already paid dividends. Dach was in need of a change of scenery and a fresh start, and the Canadiens were able to provide that for him. It was the perfect move for a rebuilding franchise, adding a young talented player who still needs time to develop. Kent Hughes, the Canadiens’ GM, has hinted that they’d be open to making a similar move once again if the opportunity presents itself.

So the question is, who’s out there that could fit this bill? In order to fit the criteria, they, first and foremost, need to be young. I don’t think Kent Hughes is interested in giving up assets for veteran players. But they also need to be players that could benefit from a change of scenery, as Kirby Dach did. It’s less about wanting to leave, like Pierre-Luc Dubois, and more about running out of patience in their current home.

Today we’ll look at a few players who I believe could fit that billing. As was the case with Kirby Dach, many of them are young players with potential and, thus far, have failed to live up to it. The obvious hope is that, with the Canadiens, they can get back on track and take that next step. We saw that with Kirby Dach, who set career highs in points, assists, and goals this past season. The idea is if the Canadiens do pull the trigger, the player they acquire can do the same.

Why not another former Wisconsin Badger? Dylan Holloway is an interesting player, as he doesn’t have the star upside of some other young players around the league, but he would still fill an essential role on any team. He’s a powerful skater who’s extremely athletic and has the potential to be a solid middle-six contributor on any team. He’s a good forechecker and energy guy, but he’s not a grinder, he can be a good offensive player. He’s got decent size, and I think he’s proven he’s ready for the NHL.

He played in 51 games last year but put up just 9 points, which is not particularly attractive at first glance. But he only played 9:35 per game last season, which is not ideal playing time for a rookie. You’d have to think he’d play more in Montreal. At just 21 (22 by the start of next season), there’s still plenty of room for him to grow as a player.

Much like LA, I think the Oilers are in win-now mode, so I do wonder what the compensation to acquire Holloway would be. When the Habs traded for Dach, Chicago was rebuilding themselves, so a first-round pick worked for them. I wonder what the Oilers would want? Josh Anderson? A Defenseman? A Goalie? Maybe they want some cap relief, too. We’ll have to see.

Holloway could still be a really good middle-six contributor who does a lot of the little things right. The kind of things that don’t show up on the scoresheet. He needs more opportunity to show that, though, and I’m not sure Edmonton will give that to him. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Habs to check in on him and see what the asking price is.

Perhaps the most obvious name on this list is Alexis Lafrenière, the first overall pick from the 2020 NHL draft. He has struggled to adapt to the NHL, and I think patience is running thin for him in New York. The Rangers want to win, and they want to do it now, and they might not be able to continue to wait for him to come along. They might decide to get something for him while they still can.

Montreal seems like the obvious destination spot, mainly for the French connection. It seems like anytime a French player is rumoured to be leaving their current team, Montreal is immediately linked as a possible landing spot. In Lafrenière’s case, though, I could see it. Lafrenière is coming off a season in which he set a new career high in points with 39 in 81 games. Unfortunately, he followed that up with zero points in seven playoff games.

But Lafrenière is still young, just 21, and the potential is still there. The NHL is a tough league to play in, and it’s even harder to try and develop in, and that’s all Lafrenière has ever known. Now add in trying to do so on a competitive team, one where every mistake is amplified, and it’s even more demanding. The Canadiens could offer Lafrenière a fresh start and the freedom to learn without fear of making mistakes.

If I’m Kent Hughes and the Canadiens, I’m still looking at what Lafrenière can become, which is a super-skilled left winger. The Canadiens could definitely use more of that in their system (although the 5th pick could help change that), as behind Slafkovsky, it’s a bit of a question mark. The potential for Lafrenière still exists. It hasn’t just up and disappeared. He just needs time to find his game and get comfortable.

This past season in New York, Lafrenière played just over 15 minutes a game, which is a decent chunk of ice time. But I’d want to see him get more ice time and opportunity if I was a Rangers fan. And if the Habs traded for him, I’d expect him to be on the first powerplay unit, in the top six playing 18+ minutes a night. Lafrenière needs more opportunity, and I’m not certain it’ll come in New York.

Now the Rangers, like the Oilers and Kings, are contending, so I wonder if they would want picks and prospects. They might want to add proven commodities instead to help with their Stanley Cup push. Do the Canadiens have enough to make that work? And what would the Canadiens be interested in giving up if they were interested in Lafrenière? For now, we don’t know the answer to any of these questions, but I think it’s something worth keeping an eye on. Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton want to be aggressive, and this certainly fits under that bill.

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